


Standing there in a purple dress

by sunsetseas77



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: A few other minor DC character appearances or mentions, Distractions, F/F, Fluff, Journalist Kara Danvers, Or trying to, i guess, she’s concentrating on her job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-24 20:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20020705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetseas77/pseuds/sunsetseas77
Summary: Kara’s at the National City tech trade show party, gathering quotes and stories. Except for when something keeps catching her attention, distracting and then disappearing. Make that someone.





	Standing there in a purple dress

“Kara,” Nia calls as she rushes up to her on a pleasant, late spring evening, fighting with the contents of her purse. Kara’s partner for the technology trade show’s party appears to be trying to find her press pass given it isn’t visible on her. Kara suppresses a grin at an experience she herself has had more than once.

With the exception of her frantic digging, Nia’s appearance and attitude are perfectly poised, perfectly professional. Her hair is pulled back by a gold and garnet clip to frame a self-assured expression, and she’s wearing a belted garnet dress and dark pumps with a sensible rise. Matching gold jewelry adorns her ears and wrist. This is Nia’s fourth major assignment and she’s learned from each previous one, Kara thinks warmly. Nia certainly won’t be left behind on any topic or by any interviewee she interacts with tonight.

“Aha, there it is,” Nia exclaims, lassoing her neck with the pass and looking over at Kara. 

“Wow, that top is…” Nia’s eyes widen, her upbeat remark paired with a growing, mischievous smile as she sees Kara’s white flare fit pants and blue lace top, honey-blonde hair in a sleek updo and diamonds in her ears, “that whole outfit is amazing. Looking for something more than good copy tonight?”

Kara rolls her eyes. She’s provided the opportunity to avoid a verbal response to Nia’s cheeky question when the number of people gathered where they’ve been standing as Nia pulled herself together reaches a critical mass, and they are moving in a tidal push to the door.

As the pod of people that they’re in migrates forward, Kara’s attention drifts to her left, to where VIPs are arriving and being escorted into the event without the hassle of mixing with the more general populace types clutching credentials or invitations. A flurry of activity and cameras keep her eyes there as they announce a major arrival, a deep purple swirl of fabric, perfect skin, cutting jawline, and long dark hair, all of which are almost immediately engulfed in dark-suited security that moves the attendee into National City’s convention center.

“Our turn,” Nia brings her back to the line that they are at the front of. Kara tries to shake off the apparition that’s sticking in her brain in order to focus on the task at hand. But her thoughts drift to possibilities beyond those work-related for the night ahead even as she presents her pass.

Identities verified, Nia and Kara enter the cavernous, multi-level convention center to find many of the five thousand expected guests already present at this more casual part of one of the biggest tech gatherings in North America. Drinks, dancing, displays, and demonstrations await them over the next few hours. And stories to document, of course, with almost everyone who is anyone being here to find instead of sporadically present during the days of the trade show.

Just a few steps inside, Kara and Nia find a quiet section of wall to huddle by and pull out their assignments. They go over who has primary and secondary duties for each area and contact. Kara’s taking biotech, Nia the conference’s featured hardware. They exchange nods with the second pair of CatCo reporters covering software and AI who are partaking in a similar exercise against a column several feet away.

“We’re off the clock at midnight,” Kara wraps up.

“But the news never sleeps,” Nia states enthusiastically.

Kara grins back at her quotable commitment. “No, it doesn’t, so we’ll rendezvous in this area at around 11:50 to check in. We’ll go separately from there depending on how things have developed.”

Nia glances at the time and nods. “Until then. I have a polymer demo calling me. This is the life.” 

She waves as she hurries off.

Kara adjusts her glasses at the crush of well-dressed people that stream out around small tables and into ballrooms and show rooms on the level a short staircase below the entrance. The hum of so many voices creates a distinctive white noise. She takes a deep breath to ready herself for a higher level of filtering, as she often does before plunging into this type of setting. 

Her eyes wander over the crowd and land on the purple dress that exited the town car outside, somehow moving quickly through the crowd. She tracks the pale profile of one of National City’s more famous residents. It’s causing a faint flush to pass across her cheeks as the woman who has caught her eye disappears into an elevator. Both exasperated and flustered, Kara looks down to her notes. A little more than three hours has started ticking down and she has a lot of ground to cover. Just on the professional side.

A solid lead and a multi-layered conversation already tucked away for later exploration, Kara walks into one of the smaller convention rooms. A low-pitched voice that carries followed by a hearty laugh reaches her as she steps in, drawing her attention to the woman that has been wandering through her consciousness and her evening. She’s exiting the opposite door, talking to someone beyond it. Kara inconspicuously weaves her way over. Arriving, she smells a perfume she’s sure her charmer is wearing.

Unfortunately, no one of interest is visible out the door, and the demo starts, the speaker introducing drones that carry the biological tools to monitor the health of pollinator populations with a buzz of flying objects. Kara needs to be here and, though she doesn’t really tire, constantly moving in even comfortable evening wear gets trying. All the seats are taken so she slips off her heels and settles in against a wall, ready to be amazed.

Standing by a canape table, Kara looks up from checking her shorthand on the recent quotes she’s garnered to find green eyes looking away and a flip of fine hair falling over, and yes, those are very bare and magnificent shoulders. The scant glimpse of collarbone revealed before that body shifted to look elsewhere was also striking.

Tucking away her work, Kara takes two steps towards this enticement nestled into a group of chattering men and women with names that adorn buildings and realizes that a Lord Tech vice president she’s assigned will almost walk into her. She sighs at the timing of it.

She hadn’t relished this requested connection on her list, but she is the lead on biotech. Regardless how much leverage her allies have over Maxwell Lord, the man and his company will probably always make her uneasy. When she contacted Ms. Grant this morning to ask whether she’d be flying in to attend the event because of its guest list, her mentor chuckled out a ‘No’ and then showed that insight she’d always had about Kara by letting her know Maxwell had been called overseas. She gave Kara the name of his replacement allowing Kara to relax in relief.

Kara gives up her preferred course and reluctantly takes a step to the right to intercept the executive. He slows to a halt, glancing at her pass.

“Hello, Mr. Jannsen. Kara Danvers, CatCo Worldwide Media. I’d like to talk to you about Lord Technologies’ new laboratory in Gotham, where the company is transferring all of its stem cell research.”

From behind her glasses Kara squints across the ballroom to where dancing has commenced and finds her person of interest being twirled on the dance floor. She picks up on the laughter she’s heard from afar a couple of times tonight and notes a radiant smile. She admires the elegant, fluid way the pair move across the floor, though her eyes settle almost exclusively on one of them.

With an effort, she pulls herself back to the Metropolis councilwoman who’s telling her about the revolutionary work a Korean company is doing on artificial cartilage and how they want to partner with Metropolis’ largest hospital on medical trials. Cutting off an internal groan at yet another missed opportunity to potentially make contact with someone who's been so elusive tonight, Kara pulls out her notebook and gives the councilwoman the complete reporter treatment.

The perfume Kara’s detected throughout the night lingers where she walks up to the bar, taking an unusual, open spot next to Bruce Wayne that seems to have been recently vacated by the wearer. The scent is one she’s familiar with, one she’s worn herself a few times. 

Kara’s certain a woman as alluring as the one she’s half trailing tonight is aware of her own attractive forces and knows of Kara’s interested glances by now. She definitely noticed the one where they had locked gazes for a delicious two seconds before the other woman turned back to the president of NC Solar and Kara had to rush off in a different direction. Kara knows there’s a bit of game playing going on, and she’s willingly participating.

She also knows that if she asks about a woman who is no longer there and it’s because she recognizes her perfume, well, Bruce probably won’t pick up on it but if he mentions it to his wife or his menagerie of bat kids, Kara will hear about it at the next gathering. So, she greets her cousin’s good friend and nudges the talk to business, thinking she can get a few notes for her colleagues.

She somehow gets deep into a conversation on cold fusion – Wayne Enterprises is looking more to energy alternatives – and enjoys this chance to talk a different kind of shop with Bruce. When she finally excuses herself without casual chitchat, he gives her a slightly perplexed look and a ‘Hmmm’ but is immediately engaged by a local politician before he can even take a sip of his drink. Kara’s noticed the time and she still has a few important official and unofficial pursuits.

The final minutes of the party tick down as Kara and Nia briefly meet over the first drink either of them has had the chance to actually enjoy.

“I have one more contact to check on. I’ll see you at 8:00 AM sharp,” Kara finishes as she returns items to her bag.

Nia’s quick glance at Kara is inscrutable before she finds the pen she’s clicking fascinating. The hint of a smile possibly passes over her lips. “Why don’t we make it 9:00? I’ll bring the lattes.”

Kara nods. “I’m not going to argue with that.”

Nia pulls her purse over her shoulder, dropping the pen in it. She turns to go, the attempt to fight off the smirk pulling at her mouth now clearly on display. “No, I didn’t think you would. Have a good night, Kara.”

Kara watches Nia head toward the exit, pausing when their fellow CatCo reporters call out from an adjoining hallway before jogging over to join her. The three of them have a rushed, excited conversation. Nia gestures to Kara, then they all wave. Kara waves back as they walk to the door. She suspects after-party activities are still ahead of them.

Now for her after-party, Kara thinks as she turns back to the innards of the convention center. She can finally seek out the tantalizing presence that’s been on the periphery of her night. Her teeth slip over her lower lip and she adjusts her glasses to scan the area, still quite full of people. She knows she can find her.

The body guard standing to the side on the outside patio moves only his eyes to read her name on the press pass as Kara comes through the doors. He remains in a ready stance, letting her approach the railing. A few people are talking quietly in the far corner but just one person stands in front of her.

She sidles up to the dark-haired woman looking out from the third story vantage point. Kara resists the temptation to reach out and make contact with her fairly new and very publicity-shy girlfriend. Instead, she crosses her arms, fingers landing on biceps to bring them an inch closer together, and allows the warmth to build in the small gap between them. 

After several seconds of comfortable silence, she inclines her head just enough to keep the conversation private but still readable to the external viewer as a reporter and a high-profile contact who’ve met before.

“You look gorgeous, Ms. Luthor,” she murmurs.

Lena looks over at her and raises eyebrows at her first chance to take Kara in completely and close-up. “And you look stunning, Ms. Danvers. Truly.” 

They each admire the other before remembering themselves. Lena looks away though a borderline lascivious smile lingers.

Lena starts, her smile turning teasing, “I didn’t talk to any CatCo reporters. Are you in need of a quote?”

Kara responds professionally, “Really? I thought you were on Ms. Nal’s list for follow-up on the L Corp announcement this week.”

“No one got the opportunity. Over the course of today, the purpose of this event for L Corp morphed from primarily publicity to primarily business and schmoozing with other presidents, VPs, and CEOs,” Lena explains, apologetic. “This afternoon I was handed a set task list, an assistant, and personal security for this event. It was hard for press to get to me; they were told to contact L Corp tomorrow.”

“I see,” Kara responds. “I can definitely jot down your thoughts, but my giving Nia a quote from you from tonight might let on that there’s something more going on here.” She moves fingers off her arm just enough to motion between the two of them.

“You think Nia doesn’t know?” Lena’s incredulity is apparent.

“We’ve only told Alex, Eliza, and J’onn,” Kara responds a bit defensively.

A puff of humor breaks from her girlfriend. “If your investigative reporter protege doesn’t know already, you can welcome her to the club if you need to.”

Kara thinks back on the little comments and looks Nia’s given her tonight. “You’re right, she probably knows,” she allows.

Lena laughs lightly and echoes Kara, “She probably knows.” 

It goes quiet between them again, both enjoying the proximity after a night packed with other people.

Kara inhales deeply, dropping her hands and wiggling her shoulders while straightening. “You know,” she says slyly, “I wasn’t expecting to be chasing you all night, though I think you enjoyed it. I thought I was the one with super speed.”

“The business world moves at hyper speed.” Lena’s grin is visible out of the corner of Kara’s eye. “You need to keep up.”

Kara leans in to breath softly, “Would you like me to prove I can keep up later? I promise to exceed expectations.”

A pink tint may be working its way up from her girlfriend’s chest, not that Kara’s eyes have been drawn there. Oh wait, they have – she quickly returns her gaze to the city. Luckily no one with a good vantage point is paying any attention to them.

“Later?” Lena purrs back. “Do you have something more you need to do? I can be home in fifteen minutes.”

The seductive tone causes a buzz through Kara and she turns her head to raise an eyebrow and give a short nod.

Lena immediately turns from her, tilting her head in the direction of the exit, and then heads that way, the bodyguard following as she passes. Kara can see her texting her driver as she enters a waiting elevator. Entranced by the way Lena moves and her dress moves around her, Kara watches her surreptitiously until she disappears. Then she follows her own meandering but fast-paced route to exit via the stairs and travel to their clandestine rendezvous.

**Author's Note:**

> Sort of inspired by a chorus.  
> Does Kara have a specialty as a journalist?


End file.
